Uncertainties in the adaptation of alpine pastures to climate change based on remote sensing products and modelling.

Over the last century, the management of pastoral systems has undergone major changes to meet the livelihood needs of alpine communities. Faced with the changes induced by recent global warming, the ecological status of many pastoral systems has seriously deteriorated in the western alpine region. We assessed changes in pasture dynamics by integrating information from remote-sensing products and two process-based models, i.e. the grassland-specific, biogeochemical growth model PaSim and the generic crop-growth model DayCent. Meteorological observations and satellite-derived Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) trajectories of three pasture macro-types (high, medium and low productivity classes) in two study areas - Parc National des Écrins (PNE) in France and Parco Nazionale Gran Paradiso (PNGP) in Italy - were used as a basis for the model calibration work. The performance of the models was satisfactory in reproducing pasture production dynamics (R2 = 0.52 to 0.83). Projected changes in alpine pastures due to climate-change impacts and adaptation strategies indicate that: i) the length of the growing season is expected to increase between 15 and 40 days, resulting in changes in the timing and amount of biomass production, ii) summer water stress could limit pasture productivity; iii) earlier onset of grazing could enhance pasture productivity; iv) higher livestock densities could increase the rate of biomass regrowth, but major uncertainties in modelling processes need to be considered; and v) the carbon sequestration potential of pastures could decrease under limited water availability and warming.

Tales of diversity: Genomic and morphological characteristics of forty-six Arthrobacter phages.

The vast bacteriophage population harbors an immense reservoir of genetic information. Almost 2000 phage genomes have been sequenced from phages infecting hosts in the phylum Actinobacteria, and analysis of these genomes reveals substantial diversity, pervasive mosaicism, and novel mechanisms for phage replication and lysogeny. Here, we describe the isolation and genomic characterization of 46 phages from environmental samples at various geographic locations in the U.S. infecting a single Arthrobacter sp. strain. These phages include representatives of all three virion morphologies, and Jasmine is the first sequenced podovirus of an actinobacterial host. The phages also span considerable sequence diversity, and can be grouped into 10 clusters according to their nucleotide diversity, and two singletons each with no close relatives. However, the clusters/singletons appear to be genomically well separated from each other, and relatively few genes are shared between clusters. Genome size varies from among the smallest of siphoviral phages (15,319 bp) to over 70 kbp, and G+C contents range from 45-68%, compared to 63.4% for the host genome. Although temperate phages are common among other actinobacterial hosts, these Arthrobacter phages are primarily lytic, and only the singleton Galaxy is likely temperate.

A phase II, open-label trial of bortezomib (VELCADE(®)) in combination with gemcitabine and cisplatin in patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Bortezomib is a selective reversible proteasome inhibitor with proapoptotic effects. Preclinical and phase I clinical data suggest activity of bortezomib in NSCLC, either as monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapeutic agents including gemcitabine and cisplatin. METHODS: Chemotherapy-naïve patients with inoperable stage IIIB or IV NSCLC were administered bortezomib 1 mg/m(2) i.v. on days 1 and 8, and starting on day 21 (cycle 2), bortezomib (days 1 and 8) in combination with gemcitabine 1000 mg/m(2), (days 1 and 8), and cisplatin 70 mg/m(2) (day 1) in cycles of 21 days. Up to 8 cycles of combination therapy could be administered; single-agent bortezomib was continued until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. RESULTS: Fifty-three patients [median age 66 years; 79.2 % male; 96.2 % stage IV; performance status (ECOG) 0/1 73.6/26.4 %; adenocarcinoma 45.3 %, squamous cell carcinoma 41.5 %] were enrolled. All patients were evaluable for toxicity and 43 for efficacy. Grade 3-4 hematologic toxicity consisted of neutropenia (22.6 %) and thrombocytopenia (17 %). Grade 2-4 non-hematologic adverse events were fever (9.4 %), fatigue (20.8 %), infection (18.9 %), and dyspnea (15.1 %). There was no >grade 2 neurotoxicity. Febrile neutropenia occurred in two (1.9 %) patients, and there were three possibly treatment-related deaths (5.4 %). In the intention-to-treat population, the objective response rate was 17 % (95 % CI 6.9-27.1 %). No difference in response rate was observed for squamous versus other histology (18.2 vs. 16.1 %, p = 0.845). The median progression-free survival was 2.5 months, the median overall survival 10.6 months and the 1-year survival rate 38.1 %. CONCLUSION: The incorporation of bortezomib into the gemcitabine/cisplatin regimen, in the dose and schedule used in this study, could not improve the efficacy of the chemotherapy regimen and has not to be further investigated.

Medidas de resucitación precoz durante la pandemia de gripe A (H1N1). ¿Se beneficiaron los pacientes? / Resuscitation measures early in the pandemic of influenza A (H1N1). HE benefited the patients?

Objetivo. Evaluar el impacto del uso de un protocolo de medidas de detección y resucitación precoz durante la pandemia de gripe A (H1N1) sobre el ingreso de pacientes en el Servicio de Terapia Intensiva (STI). Diseño. Estudio de observación y retrospectivo de pacientes críticos. Ámbito. Un STI médico-quirúrgico. Pacientes. Adultos que ingresaron en el STI desde el Servicio de Urgencia entre el 28 de abril de 2009 y el 4 de septiembre de 2009. Variables de interés principal. Sexo, edad, comorbilidades, APACHE II, SOFA al ingreso en el STI, sintomatología clínica, imágenes radiográficas, necesidad de asistencia respiratoria mecánica (ARM), ácido láctico (AL), creatinfosfoquinasa (CPK), lactato deshidrogenasa (LDH), leucocitosis, saturación de O2 (SatO2) y PaO2/FiO2 al ingresar en el STI, presión al final de la espiración (PEEP), días de ARM, tratamiento con oseltamivir (dosis/tiempo), aislamiento bacteriológico y virológico en secreción bronquial, tratamiento con corticoides, estadía en el STI y mortalidad. Resultados. Se incluyeron 13 pacientes que ingresaron en el STI durante el período estudiado; media de la edad 45 ± 3; mujeres: 8 (61,5%), comorbilidades (n = 7, 53,8%): enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica (n = 3), diabetes (n = 2), insuficiencia cardíaca (n = 1), cirrosis (n = 1), APACHE II: 18, SOFA: 9 ± 2. La sintomatología clínica predominante fue la siguiente: fiebre (n = 13, 100%), tos (n = 11, 84,6%), disnea (n = 9, 69,2%), infiltrados intersticiales (5/13, 38,4%), opacidades alveolares (6/13, 46,1%), opacidades mixtas (2/13, 15,3%), cuatro cuadrantes (9/13, 69,2%) y dos cuadrantes (4/13, 30,7%); se hallaron los siguientes valores medios: AL 25 mg/dl, CPK 480 U/l (p <0,05), LDH 2100 U/l (p <0,001), leucocitosis 12.500 mm3 , PEEP 18 cm H2O, SatO2 <91% (n = 11, 84,6%), PaO2/FiO2 <150 (n = 11, 84,6%), necesidad de ARM (n = 11, 84,6%), días de ARM 9,5 ± 3 días. Oseltamivir: dosis 150 mg/12 h; aislamiento bacteriológico: neumococo (n = 7, 53,8%); aislamiento virológico: H1N1 (n = 5, 38,4%); duración: 9,5 ± 3 días, corticoides (n = 8, 61,5%). Tiempo en el STI: 11 ± 4. No hubo muertes.    Conclusión. La aplicación de un protocolo inicial en el que además se evalúo la gravedad benefició la correcta evaluación y resucitación inicial en el grupo estudiado. Los valores de CPK y de LDH se acompañaron de hipoxemia severa y mayor compromiso pulmonar en la radiología de tórax(AU)

Objective. To evaluate the impact of a protocol for screening and resuscitation measures during the pandemic H1N1 on patients´ admission to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Design. Retrospective observational study of critically ill patients. Place. A medical-surgical Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Patients. Adults admitted to the ICU from the Emergency Department from April 28th 2009 to September 4th 2009. Variables of primary interest. Sex, age, comorbidities, APACHE II, SOFA at admission to the ICU, clinical symptoms, radiographic images, need for mechanical ventilation (MV), lactic acid (AL), creatine kinase (CPK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), leukocytosis, O2 saturation (O2Sat) and PaO2/FiO2 at admission to the ICU, end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), days of MV (DMV), oseltamivir (dose/time), bacteriological and virological isolations in bronchial secretions, corticosteroid treatment, stay in the ICU and mortality. Results. We included 13 patients admitted to ICU during the study period; mean age: 45 ± 3; females: 8 (61.5%); comorbidities (n = 7, 53.8%): COPD (n = 3), diabetes (n = 2), heart failure (n = 1), cirrhosis (n = 1), APACHE II: 18, SOFA: 9 ±-2. Clinical symptoms were: fever (n = 13, 100%), cough (n = 11, 84.6%), dyspnea (n = 9, 69.2%), interstitial infiltrates (5/13, 38.4%), alveolar opacities (6/13, 46.1%), mixed opacities (2/13, 15.3%), four quadrants (9/13, 69.2%) and two quadrants (4/13, 30.7%), average measures: AL 25 mg/dL, CPK 480 U/L (p <0.05), LDH 2,100 U/L (p <0.001), leukocytosis 12,500 mm3 , PEEP 18 cm H2O, O2Sat <91% (n = 11, 84.6%), PaO2/FiO2 <150 (n = 11, 84.6%), MV (n = 11, 84.6%), DMV: 9.5 ± 3; oseltamivir: 150 mg/12 hours; bacteriological isolation (Pneumococcus: n = 7, 53.8%), virological isolation (H1N1: n = 5, 38.4%); length: 9.5 ± 3 days, corticosteroids (n = 8, 61.5%); ICU stay 11 ± 4; no deaths were reported. Conclusion. The application of a protocol in which severity was also evaluated benefited in the correct assessment and initial resuscitation. The values of CPK and LDH were associated with severe hypoxemia and lung involvement in the thorax xrays. (AU)

[Myotendinitis crepitans of the abd. poll. long. and the ext. poll. brevis muscles with a reactive cheralgia paraesthetica (author's transl)]. / Die Myotendinitis crepitans des M. Abd. poll. long, und Ext. poll. brev. mit reaktiver Cheralgia paraesthetica.

15 patients--among them 10 bricklayers--were observed with a peracute painful swelling of the long abductor and the short extensor of the thumb following a short strain of the hand. This swelling could reach the size of an egg and was accompanied by crepitation which could be heard and felt. A concomitant neuralgic pain deriving from the superficial branch of the radial nerve was observed in 5 cases. The author discusses pathogenesis and therapy of this syndrome.